Page 123 of Brooklynaire

“Really? Wow.” It’s the first time I’ve ever heard him saythat.

“Hey—what were you downtown for?” heasks.

Slowly, I shake my head. “We’ll talk about it anothertime.”

“Hit me,” he says. “I can takeit.”

“Well, I’m notpregnant.”

He smiles. “We could fixthat.”

“You’re hilarious.” I take a deep breath. “Okay. Don’t freak out, but I had a jobinterview.”

Nate blinks. “A job? Foryou?”

“Yeah,” I say softly. “This job probably isn’t the one for me. Just a random phone call and a quick meeting. But looking around is just something I want toconsider.”

Nate puts his elbows on his knees and drops his forehead into his hands. “Bec, I actually feel worse about this than about the twelve percent chance that I got Alexpregnant.”

Twelve percent. Trust Nate and Alex to put a precise number on it. “I didn’t say I was quitting for sure. I’m just kicking tires here.” The job interview was a random, sudden thing. I got a call from a guy who might fund a new NWHL team in the tri-state area. It’s pie in the sky at thispoint.

But leaving the Bruisers is something I need toconsider.

He looks up. “It’s your whole life. You said so yourself. You love theteam.”

“I know.” Ididsay that. “But I love you, too. So I just want to think about what else is out there for me—and where I could work where I wasn’t the owner’s girlfriend. I might not make a move; I just want to try on the idea. So I’m telling you now, so you won’t beshocked.”

Nate reaches a hand out, palm up. I take it. “You do whatever you have to do. I only want you to be happy. But before you lock it down, promise we’ll talk about itagain?”

That’s an easy one. “Ipromise.”

“Thanks for beinggreat.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.” He smiles at me just as Lauren’s voice comes through the intercom, telling him it’s time for his financemeeting.

“Cancel it,” he says wearily. “I’m not feeling so great and I’m going to headhome.”

“Um…” I can hear the shock in Lauren’s response. “Okay? I’ll tellthem.”

And after tidying up a bit in Nate’s private bathroom, we leave hand inhand.

31

Nate

June 18, Dallas

People teaseme all the time for being a rather stoic watcher of hockey. For not visibly reacting to a great play or a badcall.

After tonight, they won’tanymore.

Never in my life have I felt so much like everything was on the line at once. My team. My sanity. My ego. My reputation. Every time we lose the puck I want to punch Dallas in the throat. And every time we get it back, I’melated.

“Treviiii!” Rebecca screams beside me. “Man on! Watchyour…”

A Dallas D-man slams him in the back, and the puck shakes loose. I grip Rebecca’s hand as she lets out another little scream, because two opposing players are diving for the puck at once. O’Doul could almost get there. Rebecca practically climbs into my lap with excitement. Our faces are cheek to cheek as we hold our collective breath as O’Doul flips the puck to Castro, who takes ashot...

We bothscream.